Monday, August 3, 2009

This was our fridge after Matt did some harvesting from the garden on SaturdayDefinitely a cuke overload. Only one thing for it, make pickles!We made three different flavors of pickles by using the same brine but adding different seasonings to each jar.One type was a traditional dill with a garlic clove, fresh dill, a bay leaf & 1/2 t mustard seeds. The next was spicy with a halved jalapeno (seeds & all), a piece of fresh peeled horseradish root, a bay leaf & 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes. The last one was sort of a mix of the two with all the items in a traditional dill plus a jalapeno.

Tie the pickling spice into a little bundle using cheesecloth. Add everything to a stainless steel or enamel pot. Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve sugar & salt. Let boil gently for 15 minutes.

Ladle over cucumbers & seasonings that have been packed into sterilized jars leaving 1/2-inch head room. Add lid & neckband & process in boiling water (about 1-inch higher than the top to the jars) for 15 minutes. Turn water off & let sit for 5 more minutes. Remove & let cool undisturbed for 12 - 24 hour. If processed correctly the lid should pull downward making a popping sound. (Any jar that doesn't do this should be placed in the fridge & eaten.)

Allow to sit in a cool dark place for a few weeks before eating.

Makes 5 pints.For a crispier pickle, we salted our sliced cukes & let them sit for two hours to remove some of the water. We rinsed them in could water before packing them into the sterilized jars.

Yum! Nothing better than a good crispy pickle that slaps you back in the kisser when you bite into it. How about bread and butter pickles? Have no idea what makes them bread and butter, but they always taste better to me.

I love pickles. I'm one of those people that can just snack on them and a good sandwich requires their presence. :) My mom always makes great pickles, but I've never tried. Yours sound and look so great! That was quite a garden in your fridge!